Didn’t get internal role

[CapitanSandy]

I found out I didn’t get an internal role yesterday. I’m gutted. I was told my interview was excellent but there was someone else who scored a few points more.

This was essentially ‘a role extension’ in that I’d still be doing the role in now but would have responsibility for training 2 days a week, taking me to full time hours. I have lots of experience in this so was really shocked not to get it. Without being outing I think a lot of it comes down to money it’s complicated but the role was freelance rather than permanent.

Someone on the interview panel has offered to give me detailed feedback but she’s not back from leave for more than a week.

I’ve put so much info work over the last year while we’ve been short staffed due to budget cuts. I’ve done loads of overtime, working on non working days, covering sickness, attending training in my own time and it’s affected my physical and mental health. It’s already quite an emotionally challenging job anyway. I feel like it’s just expected I’ll pick up the slack now.

This role was the next step for me in terms of progression. I’m at a loss of what to do now.

I’m already looking for other jobs. My motivation is at all low work wise now.

Something about not getting an internal feels embarrassing too.

How did you get over not getting a job you really wanted?

You can tell me to get a grip!

I’ve done loads of overtime, working on non working days, covering sickness, attending training in my own time and it’s affected my physical and mental health

Im sorry you didn’t get the role OP.

I spent many years working in a corporate environment. I can tell you that doing the above will not lead to promotion. It will not gain you respect.

I saw it happen over and over again that doing the above result in you being seen as a ‘work horse’. Work horses are left slogging.

They want people who contribute in meetings, who come up with new ideas, who delegate work to others, who take leadership roles over new projects.

Ah charities I work in partnership with many of them and I’ve worked in that sector myself and they definitely want more for their money. They often use the cause to guilt you into doing more for less and they rarely employ enough staff to do the work. Hence your hybrid role of service delivery / volunteer management and case work.

If your manager is great why is she not recognising that you are overworked and feeling undervalued?

So when I worked for a charity I used to ask in my supervision what is the priority as I can’t do it all. And when I used to be given an extra job or cover someones work that was going to put extra pressure on me I would say this will impact on this or that or whatever I had planned for that day and ask which is more important? Clearly there were some extra tasks that could be accommodated but my boundaries included saying Im not refusing to do it but I can’t do it all. Because that way lies madness.

You’re right @Throughalookingglass I had equated all of those things with being a good employee and hopefully someone they would consider for promotion or other opportunities. When like you say it’s different qualities that put you in good stead.

I’m realising this about the charity sector now. Taking advantage is probably the wrong wording but yeah lots of doing things for the cause.
This year the message from senior management has been we just need to ‘Power through’ until the next quarter, next lot of funding, next management change, it’s the impact of Covid etc. But it’s leading to burnout among the team.

My manager is relatively new and was my friend before my manager she’s struggling with the role and her manager as well as facing push back from senior management. So I’ve down played feeling overworked and undervalued. It’s my own fault really as I can’t expect anything to change if I don’t say how I feel.

This is excellent advice @quietheart thank you!

I’m really glad I started this thread. Now the initial sting and disappointment is fading I feel better I’ve learned a lot from you all. Thank you so much for taking the time to offer reassurance and helpful advice.

I wish they taught boundaries and how to manage working at school, I’m sure it would be helpful!

Any other work advice or tips for my situation would be gratefully received too.

I've not got internal roles (at one time I was having 1 interview a week and 1 I was told to apply for but I think I was just to make up the numbers which was cruel). It really knocked my confidence but I got feedback and kept going. In the end I had 2 interviews and 2 job offers in a week.

But in your position I would stop doing all the extra stuff and focus on getting your next job. Some employers find you a little too handy to promote because who would do the extra then?

Often a company doesn't promote from within if the person is too valuable in that role. So doing more than your role entails can actually stop you from moving up the ladder. If you are the cleaner, you don't want to also do the gardening and the cooking as you will never move up because they'd have to recruit a cleaner, a gardener and a cook.

One thing I learnt in my 30s was to behave and dress as if you were in the above role, that way you can be seen in the role when you are interviewed. So also getting to grips with the bigger picture of what that role entails, and how it fits into the organisation is key. And also remember, that the person that got the job might not stay or even turn up so don't throw your toys out of the pram! I once got a promotion after not getting an internal management role, but he never showed on his first day so I did get it in the end.

One thing to remember as an internal candidate, is that if you lose out on the role - the hiring team will probably have considered whether losing you as a result of not giving you the job is worth the risk for them. That one does smart a bit - but helps fix the mindset of not being taken for granted.

This has happened to me a couple of times. Once I was the internal candidate, got turned down and was absolutely gutted. More recently I've been the external candidate and got the job, then had to deal with seething resentment from internal candidates (only one of whom admitted applying but it's fairly obvious about four of them must have!).

Having been the person interviewing now and got some perspective I'm fairly sure the first time I assumed I'd get the job as was familiar with the role and didn't prep in the right way. All the going the extra mile at work doesn't count UNLESS it's something you can turn into concrete examples for the interview - look up the STAR technique. Practice STAR examples for everything in the job description. When I've interviewed it's often only a few points that separates the first, second and even third choice candidates so it can be really close.

Do ask for feedback and if someone is prepared to sit down and talk you through it, then even better. That helped me to work out where I had gaps and where I could strengthen my answers.

Look on it as practice. I have interviewed some people who have openly declared they haven't been tempted by a job for x number of years, thinking it made them stand out as committed to this one. But each time it's been very obvious they lacked interview experience and just weren't able to compete against candidates who had prepared well for it. So do apply for jobs, get that experience in and get as much feedback as you can.

Finally, the being encouraged to apply. I always encourage people to apply for jobs they may be interested in. It's good practice to encourage them to get that experience or think about their next steps. It definitely doesn't mean you're guaranteed the job, after all, until the closing date I have no idea what the other candidates are like, but it does mean your manager or colleague thinks you're capable of it.

Good luck!

Or tell them to stick it

😄

up their corporate proverbials (charity or no charity).

If it feels sensible, fair enough. If it feels cruel and unfair it probably is.

Only you can truly know OP

It certainly did last week! but it’s probably for the best. Maybe the wake up call I needed to make some changes

I recently lost out on an internal promotion (civil service) to my own maternity cover 😔 I got all the detailed feedback I could then made a sideways move to another team shortly afterwards. Was a definite wake-up call that I was being taken for granted in my old team and I was very open with them about all my reasons for looking elsewhere.

Just had the same thing happen to me. I'm trying to put a brave face on but I'm secretly disappointed. I was an internal candidate and someone else was also internal and they got it. They've been working on the bank for a few months v my 22 years but hey Ho.

A good way to stop pleasing is when someone asks if you can do something say can I get back to you on that? It gives you time to weigh up if it's in your interests or not.

I've been there. I won't lie, I sulked about it, and was not particularly helpful to the person who did get the role.

Three years and 2 roles later, I'm senior to the role I didn't get, but it was the kick I needed to really push myself. Get interview feedback and start your plan to progress from there. Volunteer for everything - get to know your wider organisation and build bridges.